2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

As a believer, I have the knowledge of the Word of God, and I can read it whenever I want. I can recall scripture and quote it because I’ve spent many hours in the Word of God.

But here’s the thing, I still fight my thoughts everyday to put God’s Word first in my thoughts.
For example, I feel a cold coming on and the first thing I think of is over the counter medication, when I should be thinking about going to God first with humility and asking for forgiveness.

Sickness is a result of sin.

Genesis 2:16-17 NKJV
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you[a] shall surely die.”

Romans 5:12 NKJV
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Romans 6:23 NKJV
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the [a]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Death entered through Adam and Eve’s disobedience; sin and sickness is a part of the death process.

There is unconfessed sin:

Psalm 32:3-5 NKJV
3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

There’s disobedience, which we read earlier in Genesis, but we see this clearly in Deuteronomy as well.

Deuteronomy 28:58-61 NKJV
58 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed.

Scripture tells us sickness comes from unforgiveness and disobedience. Sometimes, we don’t know what we’ve done but the key is to go to God, ask for forgiveness and start over and be obedient.

James 5:15-16 NKJV
15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 [a]Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, [b]fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Exodus 15:26 NKJV
26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

And let’s remember, not all sickness is from personal sin:

John 9:1-3 NKJV
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

And remember Job. He was a righteous man who went through hell on earth…

Job 1:1 NKJV
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and [a]shunned evil.

Job 1:8 NKJV
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you [a]considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and [b]shuns evil?”

So, how do we fight a spiritual warfare against our own thoughts? Just because I have knowledge of sin and sickness, I’m missing the whole point.

James 1:2-8 NKJV
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

1 Peter 1:6-8 NKJV
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been [c]grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not [d]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Acts 16:25-26 NKJV
25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

It comes down to attitude, which will renew, change, and rewrite your thinking process going forward.

When you’re sick, or suffering, or stressed, or full of anxiety, count it as joy and praise the Lord.

Romans 12:2 NKJV
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Proverbs 23:7a NKJV
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

The transformation that takes place inside you, attitude change is where you overcome your thoughts.

Philippians 4:8 NKJV
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Meditate on His Word, the Holy Bible and let it change you on the inside. That way the Word comes first in your thoughts placing the thoughts that come from the world second.

Dear Jesus, help me overcome my thoughts and place Your Word first in my thoughts. Help me to meditate on Your Word and be transformed by You. Help me to put joy and rejoicing first in my thoughts. In Jesus’ Name Amen!